In 2009, the first Lifetime Achievement Piolet d’Or was awarded to Walter Bonatti. His style of mountaineering perfectly reflected the spirit of thePiolets d’Or. He became a sort of godfather to those who would receive this award after him. In honour of the man and his spirit, it has been renamed the “Piolet d’Or Lifetime Achievement, Walter Bonatti Award”.
The Career Piolets d'Or was created to reward a career where the spirit has inspired the following generations, in the sense of criteria set down by the convention.
